On July 20, 2012, Vice President Xi Jinping met with the visiting Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Margaret Chan at the Great Hall of the People.

Xi welcomed Margaret Chan to attend the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in China and congratulated her on her successful re-election as the Director-General of WHO. He expressed the hope that Margaret Chan, as the first Chinese elected as the head of a United Nations specialized agency, would be able to live up to the expectations during her second term, give full play to her leadership and expertise, and push forward the development of global health cause.

Xi said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government attach great importance to the cause of public health and consider the improvement of people's health as an important task in the work of the party and the government. The party and the government will continue to deepen the reform of the medical and health systems, provide people with safe, effective, convenient and affordable medical and health services and strive to realize the goal of universal access to basic health services across China soon.

Xi said that the current health issues are closely linked with political, economic, social and development issues and its role and influence on international relations and foreign policy are increasing. In this process, WHO is playing an increasingly important role in international health affairs. China is willing to continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with WHO and make its own contribution to advancing the cause of global health development.

Margaret Chan spoke highly of China's tremendous achievements in the medical and health fields and thanked China for its support to WHO and to her work. She said that she will conscientiously perform her duties and continue to advance the development of global health cause.

Health Minister Chen Zhu and Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun also attended the meeting.